Maven recommends: The Hat Shop in Soho will help you check your head

Good morning, all. Happy Friday.  It's the freakin' weekend. Oh, yes.

So it's been a week of nonstop working and thinking and estimating and all sorts of good things and I'm ready to sleep a little late tomorrow and straight up chill. In today's freelance work/life, it's no secret we need to wear many, many hats. It's a good thing I have a face for them. Because I really love wearing literally hats and I'm always on the lookout for a good one for any variety of reasons.

On the way to lunch in Soho the other day, I had a few minutes to spare (never happens) so wandered into one of my favorite New York stores, The Hat Shop, on a lovely stretch of Thompson Street that still feels a bit like the old Soho- small, charming boutiques that reflect that wonderful moment in NY time when Soho was indie and cool and not the big box mall it is today.

I have always loved this beautiful little millinery jewel box of a store- from floppy fedoras to newsboys, this is a store for the well hatted. And mostly all of them are custom made right here in NYC. The owner's name is Linda Pagan and she is out of this world (here's a shot of her I took). A fabulously chic lady in vintage glasses and beautiful stockings and red lipstick who will fit you up for something lovely. Of course we ended talking about everything from the election to what New York has become to the best hat to wear for revolutionary style- we settled on something Run DMC may have rocked, though I spied a fuzzy beret that felt a bit like Che. Plus, she's a fellow maven on all things and I love chatting with like minded women who believe in the power of style, creativity, and of course, a great hat.

For me, I ended up with a classic Fisherman's cap, a navy wool number I've always coveted for that French girl vibe/scrappy tomboy thing I always have loved. If you have a chance, you should pop by. Having a good hat to get your head in the game is always recommended. I'm thinking of holding a hat party there soon so if you're interested, let's all meet there and try on something fabulous.

Cause that's what's up this jaunty chapeau of a Friday in the 212. Yours, in level headed hat tricks. XO